Onderdelen Bf 109

Volgens een woordvoerder van de Patton Drivers vzw (Ulbeekstraat 28 – www.pattondrivers.be ) zijn er in hun clublokaal nog steeds onderdelen te bezichtigen van een Bf 109 die op 1 januari 1945 boven de gemeente werd neergehaald. Luc Wittemans verwijst voor dit toestel naar blz. 103 van het boek “Bodenplatte: the Luftwaffe’s last hope. The attack on Allied airfields, New Year’s Day 1945. John Manrho & Ron Pütz; Hikoki, 2004; ISBN 1 902109 40 6″. Ik citeer : “Ofhr. Arnolf Russow, Oblt. Lothar Wolff’s wingman, also failed to return. Ofhr. Russow, flying ‘Yellow 13′, was just making his second pass when he was hit by AAA. He then endeavoured to make for base, but a minute or so later he was forced to make a belly-landing. He landed just east of Ulbeek, north-east of St.Trond.
In December 1990, a Belgian aircraft recovery group located the remains of a Bf 109 in a meadow belonging to the Chateau Trockaert, about 10 kilometers north-east of St.Trond airfield. The Daimler-Benz engine was located at a depth of about 5 meters. But literally hundreds of others parts were also recuperated, the most noteworthy being the twin machine guns and the cannon. Without doubt, the key find was one of the Messerschmitt manufacturer’s plates marked with the Werknummer 461200. Indeed it was the Bf 109 G-14/AS in which Ofhr. Arnolf Russow of 15./JG 4 flew his last mission. Russow was extricated from the aircraft by a local civilian named Albert Wijgaerts who was assisted by the caretaker of the Chateau Trockaert.
They managed to disarm the pilot and duly handed him over to American soldiers. They only recovered the guns they could easily reach and then preceded to bury the rest of the fighter on the spot where it remained for the next 45 years”.